Part 10

Gabrielle wasn't exactly sure about this plan of Bianca's. She really didn't want to force herself to go through with it, but there didn't seem to be any other way out of here.

Plus, it was what she'd come here to do in the first place, after all. So she might as well take the opportunity that had presented itself.

But Tate was all alone with that Night World bitch...he was a smart guy, he should have figured out what was going on before now. From what she knew of Tacy, Tacy wasn't much of an actress when things didn't go her way.

~Gabrielle? A little help needed?~

It was Tate's voice in her mind. Gabrielle's eyes rolled. Just great. Could she not get any breaks, ever? Well, it just gave her an incentive to get her ass in gear.

Squaring her shoulders she marched out her room down to Dante's office, where he still sat brooding in the dying fire light. What was it with vampires in black and brooding? A written rule somewhere for when their love-lives messed up?

He looked up at her. "So much for vowing never to give in." He stood up and walked over to her, just as she expected, not even noticing her suspicious manner.

She gave him an alluring smile. "Come closer," she told him.

Dante eyed her. "Okay."

Gabrielle's eyes rolled in disgust as he came close enough for her to plunge the stake into his heart. He should have seen that coming from a mile away! Anyone with half a brain could see what was going to happen!

Whatever. Plan stage one complete. Now for stage two.

* * *
Tate grit his teeth in Tacy's grip. Tacy didn't seem to be doing anything. She was just enjoying the smell of his fear. If she had any sense she would have killed him when she said she would.

"You know, you're extremely calm for someone who's in the grips of death," Tacy commented her lips grazing his neck gently.

Tate shrugged. "You didn't think I wasn't prepared for this, did you?" Truth be known, he hadn't been, but he was expecting his own knight in shining armour to arrive any minute...

"You bastard!"

Tate pulled away just as Gabrielle arrived, killing her second vampire within the hour. He stepped aside watching the body turn into the mummified corpse it should have been.

* * *

Later that night Gabrielle lay awake in bed, not really sleepy. Tate was snoring away beside her, so who the hell could sleep with that racket anyway. She got out of bed, dressing quietly, wandering around the room.

He should *be* here by now. She had tried to be satisfied with her Circle Daybreak partner, her own soulmate. Even Thierry and Hannah thought she was trustworthy now she had supposedly killed the evil Night World lord.

"Ready?" Dante's voice came out the shadows from the open balcony doors.

"You took your time," she snorted.

"This was your idea," he pointed out. "How do I know this isn't some trick you're still planning with them?" His eyes narrowed at her. So far the illusion had worked well enough to convince all those that needed convincing.

She glanced over at Tate, snoring away. He probably knew what was going on, even though he appeared to be blissfully unaware. At least, she thought as she staked him, he wouldn't feel anything if he was asleep.

She had been born and raised in darkness, and might as well continue that way. At least she'd tried something new, even if it hadn't worked it.

She left with Dante. It might be an old and clichéd ending, but hell, it was fun.

THE END.